Ross: William Barr puts on master class in presidential power
May 2, 2019, 9:04 AM
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s recent testimony in front of the Senate was a master class on presidential power. He patiently informed lawmakers that there are good and legal reasons for a president to fire the people investigating him.
RELATED: How not to be a traitor to the United States of America
RELATED: Trump was saved from himself by disobedience
“If in fact a proceeding was not well-founded, if it was a groundless proceeding, if it was based on false allegations,” he claimed.
In other words, a “witch Hunt,” as President Trump has frequently called the Mueller investigation.
“The president does not have to sit there… and allow it to run its course,” Barr continued.
In other words, he could direct – say, his White House Counsel – to take the investigators off the case.
“The President could terminate that proceeding, and it would not be a corrupt intent, because he was being falsely accused,” he said.
By that logic, firing James Comey – or even Robert Mueller – would be a clear case of self-defense, because the president was protecting himself from an investigation that he knew had no basis. And as president, he would have the power to fire these people.
“And we now know that he was being falsely accused,” Barr concluded.
So, case closed! Except, had the president acted as Barr suggests, and stopped the investigation the moment he perceived it to be a witch hunt — which was from day one — we would never have found out that he’d been falsely accused.
We wouldn’t have found out anything. Fortunately, we have a president who knows a witch hunt when he sees it. I just worry we might someday get a president who’s not so truthful.
-
Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.
